Nobody's Girls - Part I

Posted on Sat Jun 25th, 2016 @ 10:51pm by Ensign Six of Ten & Suresh & Vic & Niro & Ensign Leela Carter

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: EFS Kohanna - Alternate Universe

* EFS Korenna - Alternate Universe *

“Alright, we have five minutes,” Niro announced as he stepped into the ship’s sickbay. He was faced with an irate Six facing down Suresh.

“Five minutes for what??” she demanded. “Why have you snatched me from my ship?” She turned on Niro now, her eyes blazing. “Start talking Niro or so help me…” She raised her left hand, the one that bore the visible implant.

“Back off, Borg-ling,” Niro snapped, giving her a look that matched hers. “You’re here to do to my ship what you did to that one,” he explained. “If you don’t, then in five minutes, I will tell my lovely Leela to lower her shields so that we can beam you back. Instead, we’ll beam someone over... maybe that Orion you’re fond of? And I’ll kill her in front of you.”

Six’s eyes widened and she glanced to Suresh for a moment. It was habit, given he looked exactly like hers. Even as she did it, reality slammed hard into her. This wasn’t her Suresh. She had no idea if she could count on him for help or not, even though his feelings for her, or her counterpart here, were almost overwhelming. Niro, however, seemed exactly the same and she had no doubt he would do as he said. Between the two, she would bet on Suresh and edged closer to him. He reached out, slipping a hand around her waist.

“It will take more than five minutes,” she replied.

“Better get started, then,” Niro said. Watch her, Suresh. “And make sure my ship won’t turn on us.”

Suresh nodded slightly and his hold on Six tightened.

“That’s something you don’t seem to get, Niro,” Six replied. “The Kohana works so well because of me. If this one is converted and I’m not here, and there’s no Borg on your crew, I can’t guarantee it won’t. You’ll have to take your chances. There won’t be anyone to fix it if something goes wrong with the nanoprobes either.”

He scowled, considering her statement. After a moment, he focused on Suresh, She’s different from the Six you know. Feel like keeping her?

Suresh nodded again briefly. “What do you think Niro? Time’s passing. You may have to talk Leela into more than five minutes if you want this to be done.” We can’t leave without Riley.

That is a problem, Niro agreed, turning away slightly. “I’ll talk to Leela; you get started. I’ll take my chances on the technology.”

Six sighed. “Alright. I need to get to engineering. I know the way.” She wanted nothing to do with this but she knew the Niro in her time well enough and could read this one’s emotions clearly. She had no doubt that if she crossed him, getting home would never happen. As it was, she wasn’t so sure that would happen even if she cooperated but she had little choice.

“Good choice. I’ll check on you soon. First, I get to talk to Leela; always a wonderful thing to do.” He smiled.

“Tell her it’s going to be a little longer but I can’t give her an exact time.” She watched as Niro left and turned back to Suresh. “Is he planning to kill me no matter which way this goes?”

Suresh laughed, shaking his head. “No, killing you wasn’t one of the thoughts he had.” He took her by the elbow and walked with her to Engineering.

They arrived a few minutes later and Six stopped to look around. It was exactly as it had been when they took the Korenna through the rift and back in time to Bajor. That was a time she really didn’t like to think about, thanks to Niro.

“You know, in my time, Niro did his best to steal me from you...well, my version of you. He went so far as to bury my memories of Suresh and plant false ones of he and I. It was a horrible time.” She moved to the panel on the rail by the warp drive and began to tap it, quickly scanning the readings. “He’s in prison now, partly because of that. Rather lucky, I think, otherwise Suresh would have killed him.”

Perhaps keeping her wasn’t just for him, Suresh realized. “Perhaps, then your Suresh is a lucky man. I don’t think this Niro would be so... needy. Did your world’s Niro date Leela?”

“No. She wouldn’t have given him the time of day, other than to read him his rights when she tossed him in the brig.” The console beeped and she studied the readout. “He was too busy messing with my mind and Reva’s, trying to come between her and Riley. The Niro in my world loves no one but himself. Who did Reva choose in this world?”

“Anyone and everyone,” Suresh said. “Seren lets her, so long as she comes back to him. She’s faithful to Riley in your world?” He sounded doubtful. “I didn’t think that was in an Orion’s nature.” He looked over her shoulder at the readouts.

“They’re getting married,” Six answered. “The differences in our worlds are great, aren’t they?. Seren just recently arrived at the station, due for some time off and sort of keeps to himself.” She stopped speaking, Suresh’s closeness nudging at her. He wore the same spicy scent that her own Suresh did. “Umm….everything looks good. I’ve fine tuned a couple of things so I think we’re ready.”

“Married?” He shook his head. “It seems there are some large differences in our worlds. Here, Leela isn’t part of the Fleet. She was Niro’s partner for a long time.”

“Seriously? I’ll have to tell Leela that, she’ll get a good laugh out of it. Wait, you said ‘for a long time’. What happened?” She made one more adjustment, shifting slightly as Suresh moved closer.

He shrugged. “Whatever happened, it was before my time with him. He doesn’t talk about her.” He leaned into her slightly, breathing in her perfume. “Funny, some things are so drastically different but other things... are just the same.” He brushed a lock of her hair off of her neck.

His touch sent a slight shiver running through her. “I’m sorry for….whatever happened here for you.” She slipped away, moving to the instrument panels along the wall and stood silent for a moment as she looked them over. “With this world’s version of me.”

“You and she are very different people, as I said. How much longer here? We’re probably running out of time,” he urged her.

Six nodded and raised her hand. Two tubules snaked out and embedded themselves in the panel before her and she stood unmoving. “You said killing me wasn’t one of Niro’s thoughts, so tell me what were his thoughts? He was talking to you in Sickbay wasn’t he?”

“You’ll be fine, Six,” he said, backing away from her slightly, watching the Borg tech go to work. “That won’t turn us into Borg, will it?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I will program these nanites to stick to the ship only. That help?”

The panel before her was already beginning to transform. Metal buds erupted from the surface of the panel and the lights slowly shifted to a vivid green. As they watched, small tubes began to form and the surface of the panel itself began to re-construct, even the controls changing appearance.

“Yeah...,” he watched the alterations with a nervous eye. “That’s... that’s good.” He edged closer to her, thinking that proximity to her might keep him from running away, screaming.

“It’s alright.” she sensed his nervousness as the Borg implants jumped from the first panel to the second, and the two panels were joined. Reaching behind her, she took his hand to reassure him. “They will eventually reach the warp drive and it will take several hours for that to be complete. Once engineering is done, it will spread throughout the ship.”

He squeezed her hand. “Thrilling,” he said, his tone a mix of sarcasm and concern. “Let’s go tell Niro.”

“Alright.” She turned away from the wall panels and caught the swell of longing coming from Suresh. Her eyes widened for a moment but she decided not to bring it up just yet. She didn’t want to turn off the one person here who might be of help in case things went bad. “Let’s go. Leela will be worried.”

* Bridge *

“Niro, I’m getting impatient. It’s been more than five minutes. I want Six back,” Leela warned Niro. “Don’t make me disable your engines, not with the Borg headed this way.”

“Things are progressing, according to the last report,” Niro answered. “Soon, it won’t matter if the Borg to come. This ship will be transformed as yours is. Should I say thanks for the nanoprobes?” He smiled briefly. “You ever thought about leaving your precious Fleet?”


“No. Lower your shields, I’m beaming her back over.” She turned towards Vic and ordered, “Ready the weapons.”

“Phasers online,” Vic responded, then looked up at Niro. “She is coming back here, even if I have to shred your ship to do it.”

Niro laughed aloud. “And risk killing her too? You all want her back too bad, especially you Vic, to take such a chance.”

“We’ll take the chance. We need to get back to our universe and we need her to do it,” Leela said, drawing out the time before she had to give the order to fire.

“Why is that Lee?” Niro asked. “Something I should know? I ordered her to start the conversion on this ship, is it going to blow up in our faces if she isn’t here?”

“No,” Leela sighed, exasperated by him, “Because she’s part of my crew and we don’t leave people behind. Yield, Niro, and beam her over.”

“Soon as she is ready. You have my word.” Behind him the lift doors parted and Suresh and Six entered the bridge.

“My part is done, Niro,” Six stated. “Hi Leela. You’ll need to release the tractor beam for a few minutes though, so there’s no loop back to the Kohana. I don’t want the nanites here to get confused with where they are supposed to spread.” It would be risky, she knew. Turning from Niro, she looked back to see if Suresh was beside her. She didn’t trust Niro at all and what she sensed told her he was up to something.

“Good. Are you okay, Six?” Leela asked, as she nodded to Vic to release the tractor beam.

“I...yes, I’m fine.” Never had Six more wished she was telepathic so she could warn Leela. “It’s just been a little...weird. I didn’t really want to do...this ship but --”


“Alright, let’s break up this little tea party,” Niro interjected. “Drop your shields, Leela, so we can get this over with. I have things to do.”

“You first, Niro,” Leela said. “No offense, but based on what we know of you in our world? The trust is scarce. Once yours are down, we’ll drop ours and transport Six over. You can transport Riley back.”

“Very well.” He raised a hand to the crewman at the console. “There, satisfied? Shields are down.”

“Good,” Leela looked at Vic and gave him the go-ahead. “Enjoy your new technology,” she said to Niro.

Niro smiled. “Thank you.” Now! He ordered the crewman.

Niro’s emotions hit Six in an instant and she understood it was subterfuge. She had to warn Leela. “Leela, it’s --”

The sentence was cut off as Niro focused on her, invading her mind and leaving her mute. In an instant, Leela vanished from the bridge of the Kohana.

“Got them all! Shields up!” the crewman announced.

“Excellent. Engage engines. Get us out of here now!” Niro ordered.

Suresh moved quickly, touching a taser to Six, knocking her out. “I’ll take her down to the Brig with the others, Niro.” He caught her as she slumped towards the floor.

A chuckle escaped Niro. “Well, I promised you that you could have her. Put her there or take her to your quarters but keep her contained.”

“She’s a part of this ship now, Niro. It might respond to her better than it does us,” Suresh told him as he carried Six into the lift.

******************
Niro (Alt)
Suresh (Alt)
Lt.(j.g.) Leela Carter
Ensign Six Of Ten
Vic